Beyond the Prairie
by StanleyLaurel.ArthurJefferson
Summary: What happened to Charles Caroline Mary Carrie and Grace after Laura married Almanzo? Also read the book Mary Ingalls on her Own.
1. Chapter 1 Intro

Life for the Ingalls after Laura left

Here is a quick summary. I will expand more in each chapter.

After Pa died in 1902, Mary and Ma became extremely close. The two women were loved by the community but often kept to themselves. Caroline Ingalls would pass away in 1924. A couple years later Mary decided to visit her sister, Carrie, in Keystone, South Dakota, and while she was there she suffered a series of strokes and eventually passed away in 1928 at the age of 63. Mary never let her blindness keep her from doing what she wanted and lived a very fulfilling life.

After graduating high school, Carrie went on to work for the De Smet Newspaper, where she learned about the printing and publishing trade. She also wrote articles and practiced the art of photography. One of the first pictures that she took was of Ma sitting in the Ingalls home parlor. It was not too much longer until Carrie became a homesteader herself. According to The Ingalls Family of De Smet, Carrie claimed land in western South Dakota near the town of Philip, SD. She lived in a small shanty and spent the required six months on the claim. She did not stay there for long, however, because she returned to the newspaper industry when she moved to Keystone, SD. It was in Keystone that Carrie met David Swanzey. He was 16 years older than her and was a widower with two children. David was looking for a wife to be a mother to his two young children. The whirlwind romance between Carrie and David lasted only 6 months before the two got married. Carrie, who was 42 at the time, would never have any children of her own. She became the stepmother to David's two children and raised them as her own. Her husband, David, helped name Mt. Rushmore, while his son, Harold, helped build it. Carrie lived a long life. She died in 1946 at the age of 75.

After graduating high school, Grace attended Redfield College in preparation to become a teacher. She followed the footsteps of Ma and her sister, Laura, and started teaching schools around the small town of Manchester, which was about 8 miles west of De Smet. While teaching she met Nathan Dow, who was 18 years older than her. The two began courting and would eventually get married in the parlor of the Ingalls Home in 1901. The couple moved to their own homestead in Manchester and became farmers. Grace and Nathan would never have any children of their own. After Ma died in 1924, Grace and Nathan moved in with Mary to care for her in De Smet. They eventually returned to their homestead once Mary left to visit Carrie in Keystone. The town of Manchester no longer stands today. It was wiped out by a tornado in 2003 and is no longer considered a town. Grace, who suffered from severe diabetes, died in 1941 at the age of 63. Her husband outlived her by 2 years.


	2. Chapter 2 Freddie

First a summary in case you don't know; the book Old Town in the Green Groves.

This time period includes the birth of Charles Ingalls Jr. on November 1, 1875 in Minnesota. Having endured several years of poor crops and mounting debts in Walnut Grove, the Ingalls family decides to sell their farm and move to Burr Oak, Iowa, where Pa has a job offer to help to run a hotel in town. On the way to Iowa, they stay for some time with relatives in South Troy, Minnesota, where Charles dies at 9 months of age on August 27, 1876. The family proceeds to Burr Oak, where they take up their jobs at the hotel. Grace Ingalls is born in Burr Oak on May 23, 1877. There the Ingalls contract Scarlet Fever. Finally, the Ingalls family recovers enough to move west once more, back to Minnesota, and then onto Dakota Territory, and By The Shores of Silver Lake.

When the grasshoppers destroy their crop in Minnesota, the Ingalls decide to leave Walnut Grove, after

Ma had her next baby. She was pregnant and on November 1 1875, she gave birth.

It was a joyous occasion at the Ingalls house in Walnut Grove Minnesota.

Charles Ingalls was especially overjoyed because he finally had a son.

Charles Frederick Ingalls (Freddie) for short.

He loved his girls, but now he had a son to bond with.

Charles soon got a job in South Troy Iowa as a hotel manager.

The young Freddie seemed healthy at birth, but soon after; he seemed to stop growing.

The Ingalls went to multiple doctors around Iowa, but no one knew why this was happening.

Freddie was a happy baby, he rarely cried.

No matter how much he ate, he never gained weight.

In August 1876, he stopped eating altogether.

The Ingalls family tried their best to get him to eat, but on August 27, 1876 he died at only 9 months.

Charles was devastated.

Less than a year later, the Ingalls welcomed another daughter Grace Pearl.

The family was living in Burr Oak Iowa at the time.

Charles loves his girls, but he will always remember Freddie, his only son.

It was in Burr Oak where the Ingalls family contracted Scarlet Fever.

Mary Ingalls had a more severe case.

She suffered from excruciatingly high temperatures and burning fever, which caused her to be lucid at times.

To help cool her down, Ma made her an ice bath.

The fever traveled to her head.

Pa shaved Mary's hair off to help relieve the fever.

Mary did not care; she just wanted to be well again.

The fever seemed to break, so the family moved back to Plum Creek.

But the fever soon returned to Mary and settled in her eyes.

Mary went blind.


	3. Chapter 3 Mary

First chapter: Inspired by the book Mary Ingalls on her Own by Elizabeth Kimmel.

Character Intro: Mary, Blanche, and Hannah are roommates. Mattie is the equivalent of Nellie Oleson. Love interest Ben Holden. Lorana is Mary's teacher.

A brief history lesson:

Mary's teacher Lorana Mattice was completely blind, just like she was. Lorana Mattice was well-respected in the education of blind children and she was commissioned at one point by the Iowa state legislature to travel throughout the state of Iowa on a fact-finding tour in order to help in the writing of a report on the status of blind people in Iowa.

(Each character will be assigned two chapters to tell their individual story.) First is Mary.

Onto the story.

December 22 1881

Classes were over and would begin in January after the holiday season. Mary and Blanche were navigating the town of Vinton. Their train was scheduled to leave at 2pm. It was currently noon.

"Oh Blanche, Mary." they heard a voice shout.

Mary turned toward the familiar voice, "Hello Hannah."

Hannah walked toward them. Even though she was blind, Hannah could recognize the tapping of Mary's shoes in the busy crowd.

"I've come to see you both off." Hannah said.

As soon as they got inside the train depot, they got their tickets and sat down. Mary took off her emerald green bonnet.

"Why Mary, you've changed your hair!" Hannah said.

Mary Ingalls had indeed gotten the latest fashion in hair styling. Her strawberry blonde hair, (which was currently pinned back) reached just past her shoulders. She also had a section of her hair curled in bangs.

"It feels so much lighter." Mary said delighted.

"Oh I am going to miss you both." Hannah said.

Just then, the train whistled. Mary and Blanche got on the train and sat down in their seats.

It was her first Christmas away from home. Mary clutched at her emerald green dress nervously. She had never been this far away from home before, but she trusted Blanche.

Little did she know, tragedy would await them.

Mary had contracted Cholera while at Blanche's house. Three days of agonizing pain prevented her from doing much. As soon as she regained her strength, she and Blanche helped Blanche's mother with cooking the Christmas dinner. The family had a wonderful time. Mary was given an olive green purse and hankerchiefs.

She and Blanche returned to Vinton and Hannah. They immediatly scheduled for their next courses.

Courses at Vinton were in three categories.

 **Academic courses:** Spelling, arithmetic, grammar, history, geography, physiology, natural and mental philosophy, algebra, rhetoric, chemistry, zoology, raised print, New York Point, literature, civil government, political economics, plane and solid geometry, and botany.

 **Music courses:** Vocal, harmony, piano, pipe organ, violin, guitar, flute, clarinet, and cornet.

 **Industrial courses:** Brooms, mattresses, hammocks, fly nets (for horses), cane seating, piano tuning, carpet weaving, sewing, knitting, and bead work.

Mary found difficulty with Math Review.

The schedule was wake at 6 and sleep at 9.

Mr. McCune was the administrator and praised Mary on her promptness and behavior.

Mary excelled at beadwork, fly nets, and pipe organ.

Mary never married.

She and Ben Holden were expecting a baby boy, but Mary suffered a miscarriage.

She and Ben grew apart.

Mary graduated, at the age of twenty-four, in June, 1889. She was one of eight in her graduating class which consisted of five females and three males. At the commencement exercises, she recited a Robert Burns essay entitled "Bide a Wee and Dinna Weary." After graduation, Mary spent most of her remaining life living in the family home in DeSmet, South Dakota. Mary and her mother were highly active in the church, and Mary taught Sunday School classes. After her father's death, she made fly nets which helped supplement the family income.

When Ma died in 1924, Mary moved in with Carrie until her death in 1928, after suffering multiple strokes.


	4. Chapter 4 Carrie

Carrie's Untold Story

Caroline, Carrie and Grace were walking home from school.

"Carrie, run along and get some water from the creek." Ma told her.

Ma didn't feel well, she was almost home, just had to get over the hill.

"Ma, are we having chicken for dinner tonight?" Grace asked.

"Yes, we are. Grace could you go help your sister?" Ma asked.

She steadied herself on the fence.

Carrie walked over the hill, carrying water was annoying in the hot weather because she couldn't splash it on herself. Ma says its wasting.

As she turned toward the house, she smelled smoke and saw flames.

"Ma, Grace!" She screamed and ran toward the house.

Grace appeared at the top of the hill, "Whats wrong?" she asked.

Carrie pointed to the house and they ran toward it.

Ma was inside the house.

"Ma, come out of the house." Grace cried.

The fire was coming from the kitchen, so the girls ran to the back door.

Carrie turned to Grace, "Grace quickly go to the creek and get as much water as you can and keep bringing buckets here quick."

Grace ran to the creek as Carrie kept dumping buckets of water on the fire.

She heard Ma trying to push the door open.

Then Carrie heard two wagons.

One was Pa and Mr. Edwards, the other Laura and Almanzo.

"What happened" Laura asked.

"There is a fire and Ma is inside." Carrie coughed.

Laura and Carrie went to help Grace with the water.

Meanwhile Pa, Almanzo, and Mr. Edwards tried to put the fire out.

Pa finally broke down the back door and carried Ma out.

The girls went to check on Ma.

After the fire was out, they went to see the damage.

Only the kitchen was damaged.

A few weeks later, a bachelor came to town. His name was David Swansey.

By this time, Carrie had graduated and was head of the newspaper press.

Carrie, little fragile girl, was now a grown woman and falling in love.

Ever since she was born, she was very sickly.

She had numerous health problems, including asthma.

That didn't stop her from obtaining her goals.

She began as a teacher and soon became a journalist.

She was running the DeSmet News and Printing Press.

David had two children, Mary (Maria) and Harold.

Carrie and David soon began courting.

Pa was having a crisis, his little girl was growing up.

He was going to lose another daughter.

Another matter was, Laura had given them their first grandchild.

He had grown to love Almanzo as a son in law, he would also love David.

The boy, sitting right in front of him, had asked permission to marry his small baby Carrie and Charles knew it was the beginning of the end.

In Charles eyes she was still his baby girl, but she had in fact grown up to be a beautiful young woman.

He remembered when she and Laura were at school and had gotten lost in the snow storm.

Everyone else had left the table and only Pa, Ma, Carrie, and David remained.

Carrie was staring intently at Pa, just as Laura had.

"Please say yes Pa." Carrie said.

He looked at the girls longing eyes.

"Well son, I give you my permission to marry Carrie. Now, lets go for a little walk."

As the words escaped his lips, the room breathed a sigh of relief.

Walking out into the crisp night, Charles sensed the boy tense up.

"Son, I know you're a good person by the way Carrie talks of you, and you seem like a wonderful Pa to your two children. You better treat my daughter with respect."

"Yes sir I intend to."

"Now I believe there are some pies waiting for us." Pa said.

They shook hands and went back inside.

These words seemed so familiar with Almanzo.

Inside, Carolie and Carrie set out the plates and pie.

The next morning, Carrie and David went to the church social.

David popped the question and Carrie said yes.

Carrie, David, and their two children moved to Keystone, SD.

David got a job helping build Mt. Rushmore.

Carrie got a job at the Newspaper Printing Press.

Soon the Swanzey family fell on hard times.

Maria and Harold had to go work at a factory.

The factory life was very dangerous.

There wasn't a day, when at least one child was harmed by the machines.

Maria got a job at a sewing factory.

Harold got a job at a factory building farm equipment.

The food was awful.

Maria and Harold had to stay there at least a year.

Carrie did not like having her children work in a factory, but David said it would help them.

They did not know what the factories were like.

The factories worked these children too hard.

Carrie and David finally got their kids out of the factories and gave them jobs at the local convenience store.

They later moved to Colorado to help with Carrie's asthma.

In the late 20's, they returned to Keystone, SD.

Mary later joined Carrie until her death in 1928.

After Carrie and her husband moved to Keystone, South Dakota; David was in charge of creating and completing Mt. Rushmore.

Carrie and David lived in Keystone until their deaths in the 1940's.

Near the end of her life Carrie worked in the railway after her husbands death.

Carrie died in 1946.


	5. Chapter 5 Grace

Grace Pearl Ingalls attended Redfield College and got her teaching certificate.

Grace was working as a schoolteacher in Manchester.

She met her fiancé, Nathan Dow at a church social.

They married in Charles and Caroline's parlor.

In the beginning, they lived in Manchester, but Nathan's health problems worsened.

They moved to Oregon, as they thought the climate would help Nathan's asthma.

Just as Carrie and David moved to Colorado to help Carrie's asthma.

Content with their life in Oregon, Grace and Nathan adjusted to their new life.

They had quite a large house, as Nathan had a more than modest income.

They lived right by the ocean, as the ocean air helped with Nathan's asthma.

They would often walk on the beach in the evenings.

They never had any children of their own.

Nathan was active in his work, just as Grace managed a printing press and the womens league at church.

One day, a storm came; a storm the rustled up the waves of the ocean.

Grace became nervous; she had never seen the ocean so threatening before.

The waves began to rise and fall roughly.

Soon they were crashing down fiercely and a torrential downpour started.

Grace and Nathan moved their animals into the barn.

Then they took shelter inside their house.

The winds picked up and shook the house.

The storm lasted for over an hour, Grace and Nathan just waiting it out.

When the storm was over, they went outside to survey the damage.

Their house stood just fine, but their barn was another story.

All of the animals had made it out safely, but their barn would need repairs.

Grace worked longer hours in the journalism department.

She soon became a well known writer for the local newspapers in Oregon.

She mostly wrote about local news stories, as well as national coverage of big events.

She wrote to her niece Rose,

"Dear Rose,

How is California? We are in Oregon. We must get together sometime. We just had quite the storm a while back. Hope all is well where you are.

Love, Grace."

Grace and Rose did meet up in the city of Sacramento.

Grace found the city to be very noisy and terribly busy.

Rose did not mind it and Grace knew Rose had adjusted to this life.

After finishing her visit with Rose, Grace and Nathan decided to tour the city.

Sacramento was not the place for Grace and Nathan.

Grace became restless, she did not like Oregon.

They missed Manchaster, SD.

She missed her family.

She told Nathan and they decided to move back to Manchester.

On the way, they met up with Carrie and David.

Carrie and David were moving back from Colorado to Keystone, SD.

David got a job constructing the new monument, Mt. Rushmore.

Grace and Nathan resided in Manchester.

Grace got a job at a printing press and managing the Huronite newspaper.

Grace was also an accomplished journalist.

She wrote and published her own newspapers and soon began running her own company.

Just as Laura wrote her books, Carrie and Grace wrote and printed the newspapers over western and eastern South Dakota.

After Pa's death in 1902, Ma and Mary continued living at their house in DeSmet.

Mary got a job making fly nets for the local farmers.

Ma was managing the store.

They were both involved in the church.

Soon after, Grace got word from Laura that Ma was very ill.

The year was 1924.

Grace and Nathan took the train to meet Mary, Laura, and Carrie in DeSmet.

Ma died on Easter 1924.

After Ma's death in 1924, Grace and Nathan moved back to DeSmet with Carrie and David to care for Mary.

After Mary died, Grace and Nathan moved back to Manchaster.

While Carrie was in charge of the DeSmet newspaper, Grace was assisting with the Huronite.

Both Carrie and Grace were also very active in the women's social groups.

Mary and Ma contributed to the church.

Grace went to Huron hospital in 1932 due to complications to diabetes.

She died in 1941.


End file.
